diff --git a/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs b/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
index a086319d181..6f74ff6e8b2 100644
--- a/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
@@ -786,12 +786,8 @@ fn normalize_dependencies<'a>(
                 warnings,
             )?;
             if d.public.is_some() {
-                let public_feature = features.require(Feature::public_dependency());
-                let with_public_feature = public_feature.is_ok();
+                let with_public_feature = features.require(Feature::public_dependency()).is_ok();
                 let with_z_public = gctx.cli_unstable().public_dependency;
-                if !with_public_feature && (!with_z_public && !gctx.nightly_features_allowed) {
-                    public_feature?;
-                }
                 if matches!(kind, None) {
                     if !with_public_feature && !with_z_public {
                         d.public = None;
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/pub_priv.rs b/tests/testsuite/pub_priv.rs
index 4cf2a574031..6d81faced09 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/pub_priv.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/pub_priv.rs
@@ -226,7 +226,6 @@ fn pub_dev_dependency_without_feature() {
         .build();
 
     p.cargo("check --message-format=short")
-        .masquerade_as_nightly_cargo(&["public-dependency"])
         .with_stderr_data(str![[r#"
 [WARNING] 'public' specifier can only be used on regular dependencies, not dev-dependencies
 [UPDATING] `dummy-registry` index